High school boys basketball: Euclid hires former Lakeland women's head coach Gary Hicks

If not for the attention to detail by assistant superintendent Andrea Celico, someone else might be the Panthers' head coach today and not the 34-year-old Cleveland native.

Hicks was interviewing for a teaching position recently at the school. But it wasn't until Celico was glancing over his resume that she realized Hicks had a background in coaching at Lakeland Community College.

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"She paused, looked up and said, 'Would you be interested in our boys basketball position? It's open right now,'" said Hicks, recalling the interview with Celico.

Hicks took a year off from coaching last season to complete his education degree. Prior to that, he was Lakeland's women's varsity basketball coach for three years. Before that, he was the assistant men's coach at Lakeland.

After being presented the opportunity by Celico, Hicks pondered it for the night. The next day he threw his hat in the ring.

He will be an intervention specialist at Euclid and will also get his first high-school coaching experience. Hicks takes over for former coach Greg James, who was not renewed after a three-year stint.

"I thought about it and realized (the coaching position) is a gem," Hicks said. "I talked to some people and everyone said it was a great opportunity.

"I'm very excited for this opportunity."

Hicks was born in Cleveland, but moved to Knoxville, Tenn., as a child. He played one year of junior college in Knoxville, Tenn., and one at Tri-C. He finished his college playing days at California (Pa.).

"Shaka Smart was the grad assistant when I was there," Hicks said of his California years.

Smart is the head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University and is considered one of the best young college coaches in the game.

"He carried my refrigerator to my dorm for me," Hicks said of Smart, laughing along the way. "I still keep in touch with him."

Although Hicks doesn't have high school coaching experience, he said the Lakeland experience served him well.

Euclid athletic director Steve Hardaway said Hicks' college experience was a big selling point in the interviewing process for the basketball job.

"He brings a disciplined approach and believes it's academics first and athletics second," Hardaway said. "Being at the college level, he knows high-school athletes. He knows what student-athletes need to have academically to go to the next level as well as the skill set they need at college."

Hicks and the Panthers have hit the ground running. They played a summer scrimmage at St. Ignatius earlier this week, he said. and have another workout session set for Friday.

Hicks said he is still working on filling out his staff.

The Euclid boys basketball position opened in the aftermath of former coach James pleading guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct in May.

James was sentenced to two years of active probation and was ordered to pay a $250 fine, attend domestic violence counseling and anger management courses.

Hardaway said at the time, because of an "unfortunate circumstance, we are going in a different direction."

It led to the coaching opening that Hicks admitted he wasn't even shooting for when he was interviewing for a Euclid teaching position.

"I can speak for the (selection) committee when I say he brings a lot of excitement to the program," Hardaway said. "This is a long-term solution."